One Single Step
by A. Heimby
Summary: He couldn't remember the moment he chose to do it. He couldn't even remember taking that single step, but even now as he fell to his knees he knew he wouldn't take it back, even if he could. Pre-Slash Harvey/Mike. ONE-SHOT


_Since I am having trouble finding time to write for my current Suits fic I thought I'd post this one shot I quickly wrote out that has been stuck in my head for a while now. I hope you enjoy, and I will try to get back to my other stories as soon as I can._

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He couldn't remember the moment he chose to do it.

He couldn't even remember taking that single step, but even now as he fell to his knees, he knew he wouldn't take it back, even if he could, even with the sharp pain that shot through him like a blazing wild fire, burning everything it could reach. Even as the numbing shock wore off and his sight started to white out from the pain, he knew what he did was right, at least for him.

SUITSTIUS

When Harvey got up that day he found himself in a mood. No matter what he did throughout the morning it only got worse. He tried having a large and unhealthy breakfast, he got the coffee he loved but would never let anybody know he drinks, he even took the time to do the crossword in the paper, but still, by the time he was walking into the office his mood was so bad even Donna stayed back after taking one look at him.

He hadn't meant to take it out on Mike, the younger lawyer had simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time, or more so the right place and the right time, which was why he became Harvey's outlet for his anger. Mike had simply gone to Harvey's office for his work for the day, but by the time he left he was close to tears. Donna, who had seen Mike looking like a kicked puppy, only made the lawyers mood worse, storming into his office to lecture him on proper outlets for his anger and not kicking the puppy. By the time lunch rolled around Harvey had to get out of the office, he had to find a way to gather himself and it was most definitely not working there.

What he hadn't counted on was his mood, if at all possible, only growing worse. It only took him half an hour, and a lot of yelling at random strangers, to realize he was better off in his office where at least he had a door with a lock, even if the walls were made of glass. What he most definitely had not counted on though was being followed.

Mike was waiting in his office when he got back. He looked small and shrunken sitting on the couch, obviously not over the events of that morning. Harvey had opened his mouth to start yelling at Mike about doing his job, doing the work he had given him, but some movement out of the corner of his eye distracted him for a short second, just long enough for his eyes to fall on the stack of folders sitting on his desk and what looked like all the work he had given Mike that morning.

Once again as he opened his mouth to speak, apologize without apologizing, knowing he was letting his mood control him, movement from outside his office distracted him. He looked out to see a poorly dressed man that he vaguely recognized walking purposefully toward his office but he quickly decided to ignore it, something he later regretted with every fiber of his being. Instead he directed his focus back to Mike who was now standing in front of him, that slightly fearful but still somehow playful look on his face. This time though, it was Mike's turn to get distracted just as he opened his mouth to speak, staring at something just off to the side of Harvey.

When Mike failed to turn his attention back toward Harvey the older man tried to get it back, but even as he snapped his fingers in front of his face Mike still didn't stop looking intently out the glass wall. Harvey didn't think he would ever be able to forget the moment all the blood seemed to drop from Mike's face, the moment the younger man stopped breathing and his eyes went wide with a fear Harvey had never seen on a person before.

Before he could fully turn his head to see what had the kid so spooked, or why he heard a sudden shriek of fear from Donna outside, Mike was pushing him back, causing him to stumble and fall, just as the sound of a piercing bang and shattering glass filled the room.

Time seemed to slow down as he watched Mike stumble back a step, one hand clutching his chest while the other stretched out as if looking for something to balance him. It was in slow motion that he watched Mike fall to his knees and everything else fade out. Nothing else in the world seemed to exist as he saw Mike slowly pull his hand away from his chest only to see it covered in blood.

Harvey got to Mike's side just in time to slowly lower his head to the ground before shucking off his suit jacket and pushing it to Mike's chest. Just like that everything came back into focus all at once. The sound of yelling and screaming outside his office and people running around, Donna talking urgently on the phone demanding the ambulance 'hurry the hell up'. He only spared a quick glance away from Mike to see two associates pinning the man who had done this to the floor and a group of people staring through the now partially missing wall at him, or rather at Mike, in worried fear.

After that no one could get Harvey to take his eyes off Mike who was no longer conscious. Neither could they get him to leave Mike's side or let go of his hand. Only after Jessica had arrived to the chaotic scene after her own lunch had she been able come to her friend's aid, insisting the paramedics who were loading Mike onto a gurney allow Harvey to go as well. After they were in the elevator and the doors were closing Harvey chanced a glance up again but this time it wasn't to chaos, but a saddened calm, as everyone seemed to be standing in place watching him back.

He could see Donna clutching to Louis as the shorter man tried to comfort the distraught woman. He also saw Jessica looking at him with a straight face but sad and fearful eyes. He nodded slightly at her before the door slid closed and the elevator started its far too long journey down.

SUITSTIUS

The first thing Mike noticed as he started to wake up was a warm hand in his. He was lost in the comfort of it for a moment before everything else hit him at once. The sound of a beeping that was steadily growing faster, lights so bright they were hurting his eyes even with them shut, the smell of antiseptic, and most powerful, waves of pain the seemed to radiate out from his chest and to the rest of his body, everywhere but his left hand which was now squeezing the hand it was joined with.

He could feel his chest tightening as it became harder to breathe and started to panic, only making his breathing worse. It wasn't until he heard his name being called that he was able to shift his focus to anything else but his difficulty breathing.

SUITSTIUS

Harvey had stayed at Mike's side every moment he was able to. The hours in the waiting room while Mike was in surgery had been torture, even when Donna had eventually been able to join him. He had done his part with the police in that time, hating to admit he remembered where he knew the man from; knowing it had been his fault Mike had been shot. He had been grateful to be alone the moment he had remembered the man, someone from that day he had taken his bad mood out on in the street, because it had broken him, if only briefly. He had barely made it to the bathroom before silent tears fell from his eyes and his heart seemed to stop beating, as if being squeezed. He had only just pulled himself together, at least as much as he could, when Donna and two police officers arrived.

The second he was told Mike was out of surgery and everything had gone well he was demanding to see Mike, and from the moment the doctor allowed him to be at Mike's side, he didn't leave it. The only time Donna got him to take his eyes off Mike for the next couple days was giving him a change of clothes or telling him to take a short walk through the halls, assuring him she'd keep an eye on Mike until he returned. She made sure he ate, even if it was barely anything at all, and made sure he slept, staying in the room while he did so she would be there if Mike woke up.

It was almost two days before Harvey felt Mike's hand move in his. He automatically started trying to get Mike's attention, get any response to say the younger man was actually waking up, but for a few moments it seemed like Mike was lost in sleep; until the heart monitor started beeping faster and Mike's face turned into a painful one. Harvey squeezed Mike's hand tighter as he started calling out to him more urgently. Harvey could tell Mike was starting to panic about something and he had to calm him down.

After what felt like hours but couldn't have been more than a few minutes Mike finally opened his eyes but they seemed lost for a moment as he looked wildly around the room. He only seemed to calm down, if only slightly when his eyes fell on Harvey's and he squeezed the older man's hand a little tighter. Harvey was flooded with relief as Mike started to calm down further. The beeping of the monitor slowed but Mike's hand still kept getting tighter.

Before Harvey knew what he was doing he was using his free hand to run his fingers through Mike's hair as he let out a sigh of relief. He wanted to speak, to apologize to Mike, tell him how worried he had been, and get angry he would do something as stupid as steping in front of a bullet, even if it was for him, but nothing came out. Instead it was Mike who broke the silence as a quiet and scratchy, "Harvey", fell from his lips.

That was all Mike had to say for him to understand what he was trying to tell him. Mike was telling him to stop blaming himself and that he forgave him for anything that he could be blamed for, and he was telling Harvey to stop worrying, that he would be fine. It was all in Mike's eyes more than his single spoken word, but it was there, and Harvey couldn't help the sad and slightly hysterical laugh that burst out of him. All the stress of the last two days drained out of him as he leaned forward and hugged Mike as best he could while the man was confined to a bed with tubes and wires attached everywhere. It was in a quiet whisper that he told Mike, "I'm sorry, Mike. I'm so goddam sorry."

Harvey felt Mike weakly put his hand on his back as he tried to return the hug but when Mike whispered back, "I would chose to do it again", all Harvey could do was bury his face in Mike's neck as he hugged the smaller man as tight as he dared, hoping the other couldn't tell that the tears that had been plaguing him for days had once again returned.

When Donna showed up a few hours later with coffee and dinner for Harvey she was a little thrown by the sight she was faced with. Harvey was lying in the bed with Mike, the younger man gathered in his arms as they both slept. Mike had his head resting on Harvey's chest, face snuggled into the older lawyers neck, while Harvey had his cheek resting on top of Mike's head, his arms circled around the younger man. Both men looked content and more happy then she had ever seen them, even with the slight worry that still showed on a sleeping Harvey's face and the slight painful grimace on Mike's.

Donna took a few moments to just look at the two sleeping men before taking a quick picture and deciding to give them their privacy. After all, she didn't want to ruin the moment when they woke up. She had seen this advance in their relationship coming for some time now and she didn't want to halt the progress with insecurity on one or both sides. She wanted both her boys to be happy and she knew only they could give each other that happiness, and if that meant she had to take a step back for a little while she was willing to do that.

After all, if Mike could take a step in front of a bullet, she could take a figurative one back to give them space.


End file.
